Virat Kohli said that the advice he had received from India icon Sachin Tendulkar after his poor run of form in England in 2014. Tendulkar advised him not to read what was written about him
India skipper Virat Kohli poses with the Man of the Match trophy at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera
India skipper Virat Kohli has scored 640 runs at an average of 128 in the last four Tests against England. His highest Test score of 235 on a turning Wankhede track was his third double ton as an India skipper in the ongoing five-match series.
Kohli said that the advice he had received from India icon Sachin Tendulkar after his poor run of form in England in 2014. Tendulkar advised him not to read what was written about him.
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"The best advice was not to read or look up things that were written about me. I am not joking or being sarcastic — that was the best advice I have got. I don't know somehow people enjoyed calling me 'not a good Test player' and it inspired me further to do extra well in this format.
Being captain I took my mind more off those things because I didn't have to read up or hear what people had to say about me," said Kohli. He also felt that shouldering the responsibilities as a leader helped him a lot.
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"It was all about thinking what the team have to do and that has helped me immensely to stay focused on what I have to do on the field. You cannot do it in the middle alone and there have been guys who have been part of partnerships in the last two and half years. Once you get momentum in partnerships you as a batsman can press yourself. So it also depends on your teammates — how they help you in tough moments when you are not in form or want to get back into touch. It's been a collective effort. I won't say I have done it," he added.